It's Not Over
by Icewind Alchemist
Summary: Based on the song by Daughtry. Those three small words echoed mockingly in Rukia's head, yet she continued to keep on walking forward. She was told about what happened, so why did it seem so painful now? IchiRuki, one-sided IchiOri. One-shot.


**Title: **_It's Not Over_

**Author:** Icewind Alchemist

**Rated:** T for violence and swearing

**Pairings: **Mainly IchiRuki, one-sided IchiHime

**Disclaimer: **If only, if only…

**Summary: **Those three small words echoed mockingly in Rukia's head, yet she continued to keep on walking forward. She was told about what happened, so why did it seem so painful now?

**Font Code: Sound effects**, 'thoughts,' _flashbacks and narration._

**Note: **I was looking through my list of stories to work on and realized I had to finish up a few one-shots. So I decided to get this one done first since I have a good idea on how the story's going to go.  
On another note, this was inspired by an AWESOME video on Youtube by killerkittenish. The way they mixed Bleach clips with the real music video was ingenius! And after watching it a million times (I have no life!), I started to think that the song really described Ichigo and Rukia as a couple (it and "Emergency" by Paramore).

Enough of my ranting! Let's go!

**/\**

**\/**

_I was blown away,_

_What could I say?_

_It all seemed to make sense._

_You've taken away everything,_

_And I can't deal with that._

_I've tried to see the good in life,_

_But good things in life are hard to find._

_We'll blow it away, blow it away._

_Can we make this something good?_

_Well, I'll try to do it right this time around._

_Let's start over._

_I'll try to do it right this time around._

_It's not over._

'_Cause a part of me is dead and in the ground._

_This love is killing me,_

_But you're the only one._

_It's not over._

-"It's Not Over" by Daughtry

**/\**

**\/**

_This was it. If they could defeat that bastard, then it would all be over. They could go back to their lives._

'_Easier said then done.' Ichigo thought grimly. His breathing was ragged, countless wounds covered his body. He was in Bankai and had managed to hold his hollow mask for an hour. Yet he was the one who was being brought down by his injuries, using Tensa Zangetsu to keep himself upright. Blood caked his orange hair and one of his brown eyes was swollen shut, the other one glaring at the man responsible for the damage. _

"_How long will you keep fighting a pointless battle, Kurosaki?" The bastard-AKA, Sosuke Aizen-asked calmly. The only blood covering his white clothes was from the teen who had challenged him for the torment he caused-Rukia's near execution, Orihime's capture, and the damage done to their friends in this stupid war. "Nothing you've done has any effect on me. This battle had only one outcome from the start."_

"_Shut…the…Hell…Up!" The substitute shinigami growled. "Or is that your strongest weapon? Talking until people's brains leak out from their ears? 'Cause it might actually be working!" He winced as a fresh wave of pain went through him._

"_And it seems your only defense is to hurl insulting remarks at your opponent." Aizen countered. "That isn't going to be enough to win this battle." Kyoka Suigetsu was raised, ready to be brought down on Ichigo's head._

_Ichigo was starting to have a bit of Déjà vu-this was all too similar to the fight with Byakuya-it was even on the Soukyoku Hill. He couldn't move an inch no matter how much he tried. 'No…it can't end like this! Not after everything he's done-he won't get away with it!' _

_**CLANG**_

_The teen looked ahead. He saw a black figure and a bright white object holding off Kyoka Suigetsu. It took him a moment to realize who and what they were-Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki._

"_Rukia?"_

"_Ichigo! What are you doing?!" Rukia shouted. "Move!" The ex-captain shoved his zanpaku-t__ō into her own, flinging it from her grasp. He wrapped his fingers around her slender neck and lifted her off the ground. The petite shinigami clawed at his hand in an attempt to get him to let go._

"_You've caused enough trouble for me, Rukia Kuchiki."__ Aizen said calmly, lifting his sword up again to prepare to cut into her. "Now to put an end to that problem." Her big blue eyes widened as she watched the blade descend, unable to do anything else. They closed tightly, preparing for the inevitable._

"_NOOOO!!"_

_**CRACK**_

_Rukia felt warm blood splatter on her face and she felt herself fall to the ground. She slowly opened her eyes-but upon the sight before her they shot open._

_Ichigo was standing in front of her, the broken blade of his zanpaku-tō clenched in his hand. His legs were shaking, as if they could give out at any time._

_The adopted Kuchiki looked to one side and found two things-one was the severed hand of Sosuke Aizen, the other was the black tip of Tensa Zangetsu. 'That fool…why did he take the blow?' This was all too similar to the night they first met-except their roles were switched and Rukia doubted there would be a way out._

_Her attention returned to her friend as he gave an angry cry, thrusting his broken sword into Aizen's head. The arrancar leader, still in shock from the damage the teen had caused him, did nothing to prevent his death. _

_**Thud**_

_How ironic; god to-be Sosuke Aizen, killed by a broken zanpaku-t__ō wielded by a human-and a child, nonetheles._

_Ichigo took a few staggering steps forward, huffing. The energy that allowed him to run, to cut off the traitor captain's hand, to block as much of the coming attack as he could, and to deal the final blow, seemed to leave him. His breathing stopped and he began to fall to the ground._

"_ICHIGO!"_

**/\**

**\/**

_Three months later…_

"Hey, strawberry." Rukia greeted, attempting to get a response from him-maybe even an insult about her height. But once again it was in vain.

Ichigo was lying on one of the beds in the clinic, seemingly asleep. The oxygen mask, the IV drip in his arm, and the heart monitor beeping in the mostly silent room said otherwise-that there was a chance he would never wake up, never open those brown eyes, never scowl, never call her "midget," never insult her drawings, or offer one of those rare smiles.

The moment Ichigo had collapsed after killing Aizen, Rukia immediately picked him up and dragged him as fast as she could to the first squad four member she could find. Hanataro was the first to spot her and ran to her as soon as he saw the figure she was trying to move. There must have been some entity out there who was smiling that day, because he managed to patch up the substitute shinigami as much as possible and told her he would make it. 'But he didn't say live.' Rukia thought bitterly-though she knew she shouldn't be bitter to Hanataro, who had done his best. 'There's a big difference between making it and living.'

So many people had tried to help him, tried to wake him up. Orihime had called upon her Shun Shun Rikka the moment she saw the object of her affection in such a state. Even Captain Unohana was unable to rouse him from his unnatural slumber.

Once his injuries were healed, the question became what to do with him. A majority of the shinigami thought it would be best if Ichigo remained in the care of Squad Four. Others thought it wrong to keep someone technically still alive in the afterlife and wanted to send him back home. Captain Kurotsuchi offered to conduct a few tests to discover the cause of his coma (he was promptly denied, much to his chargin). After a nearly endless debate, it was decided that the teen's family was already worrying about him and that they should at least show them he was alright. In the end, he stayed at home.

The coma itself was just odd. His injuries were gone, so why was he still out? Rukia had a feeling it had something to do with the final battle. Ichigo wasn't the only one injured when fighting Aizen-his zanpaku-tō had broken moments before the final blow. Perhaps that was what kept him in this state…

"Everyone's doing fine." She continued to speak, even though she knew none of her words would reach him. Because there was the chance that one day maybe they would reach him and he'd wake up. "Renji's become a candidate to fill in one for one of the empty captain positions. Uryū is still the best student in the class. Chad's gone to Mexico for awhile to visit some relatives. And Orihime-" she stopped. Besides her, Orihime was one of the people who visited Ichigo the most. What did she do when she came here? Did she sit in this chair, talking with the unconscious teen about different things going on in the outside world?

"Orihime's…doing fine." Liar; ever since returning from Hueco Mundo the girl that was Orihime Inoue-the same who daydreamed constantly, came up with the strangest concoctions, and brightened dull moods with her cheeriness-had changed so much. She had been hit the hardest. Gone was the bright smile, gone was the cheery babbling, gone was the nearly endless optimism. Her capture and the state of the man she loved had dulled her bright personality. Her big gray eyes were almost always downcast and the rare times she smiled it was only with her lips-her eyes didn't shine with happiness. Once in a blue moon, the old Orihime would poke her head out for a fleeting moment before retreating back into herself.

Rukia continued talking to the comatose teen. "You're father's still acting like a preschool child, but…" There were times where Isshin would sit with her. Those moments there wasn't any joking or attempting to cheer her up. This was a hard blow for him, too-first the love of his life and now one of his children. It wasn't fair for a parent to have to watch any of their children suffer like this-but when was life fair?

Karin didn't seem to be affected by the state of her older brother, but there were times when she was in the room with him that Rukia would see a bit of sadness in her eyes. Even though she was upset about this she kept it hidden.

"Rukia?" The shinigami jumped a little at the soft voice calling her name. Yuzu stood at the door, her eyes red from the amount of tears shed. Yuzu, the more sensitive twin, had no barrier to keep her emotions in-she let them out. "Umm…it's five o'clock now."

"It is?" Damn, she lost track of time again. She didn't get to say a lot to Ichigo. "I'd better get going then. I'll be back tomorrow."

Yuzu smiled sadly. "I know." She murmured. Rukia got up from her chair and allowed one last glance back at Ichigo.

He had changed a lot during the past three months-he was starting to look more and more different from the loud, rash, hot headed boy she first met. Months inside had begun to pale his tan skin, he was thinner from surviving on an IV. The same shinigami who took on hollows, the Gotei Thirteen, numerous Espada, and in the end the man who aspired to be the new god, was vulnerable laid on the bed, an IV drip and an oxygen mask keeping him alive. Not at all like the one she met that fateful night.

"Ichigo." Rukia spoke softly. "We're all still waiting for you to wake up. Everyone is…" She walked over to his bedside, brushing vibrant strands away from his face. "Please, make it through."

**/\**

**\/**

"An assignment?" Rukia was shocked by what she heard.

"Yes. I know you're still recovering from what happened to Ichigo, but you can't keep going like this." Ukitake spoke kindly. "Perhaps a bit of time away might help more."

Rukia's head hung low. "I see. Very well, I'll leave as soon as possible." She walked out of the squad barracks, keeping her head low. 'Maybe this is for the best. Maybe it would be better for me to keep myself occupied with something else.' Something wet and warm tickled her cheek. 'So…why do I feel torn up inside?'

**/\**

**\/**

Orihime sat quietly next to Ichigo's bed. She had tried to think of something to say, but no words came to mind. How could she just say something like "hello" or "how are you doing?" when she knew there wouldn't be an answer? How could anyone?

Deep down inside, Orihime hated these visits. Seeing the man she loved like this reminded her she couldn't do anything to help, mocking her powerlessness. The Shun Shun Rikka were able to heal his outside injuries, but there must've been something inside that was damaged-something she could never reverse-that kept him in this state. Coming here was torture, in a way.

But…she kept coming anyway. Maybe because if she kept coming here, kept checking in on Ichigo, he'd wake up eventually. It was silly, but what else could they do?

Orihime remembered Rukia saying how his zanpaku-tō had broken in the final battle and that it might have something to do with his condition. But when someone went back to look for the pieces, they were gone. And if what Rukia said was true, then there wasn't any-

"No…" she whispered to herself. "There has to be something else!" She wasn't going to lose hope! There was a way to wake him! They just had to…to…

She dropped her head. There wasn't any hope, was there?

"…huh…huh…"

Orihime's head shot up at the small sound. It sounded like…breathing? Was someone else in the room?! She got up quickly from her chair, knocking it over as she did, and scanned the room. Besides Ichigo, she was alo-

Wait! Ichigo?!

"…Ori…hime?"

"Ichigo!" The light that had vanished from her eyes months ago had returned. He was awake! He was alright! She moved one hand over to her arm and pinched herself. It hurt, but she was still here. It wasn't a dream! Just wait until she told the rest of his family! The dark clouds looked like they'd finally be clearing.

Brown eyes were opened slightly, but upon seeing where they were they shot open and he sat upright, looking around the room. "How…did I get here?"

**/\**

**\/**

It had been two months since Rukia had been sent on the assignment. She was finally allowed to return to Karakura and there was only one place she had in mind right now. Her legs protested from the amount of running they were being put through, but she ignored the burning pain until she reached her destination-the Kurosaki Clinic.

"Rukia! You're back!" Yuzu called out. Her eyes were no longer red from crying. "Guess what! A little bit after you left, Ichigo woke up!"

"Really?!" Something heavy was coming off her chest. He's awake! "Where is he?!"

"He's at school right now, but before you go there's something else I need to tell you…" at this point her expression became downcast.

The weight seemed to have returned.

**/\**

**\/**

Rukia waited beside a tree outside of the high school. Her mind kept wandering back to what Yuzu told her, but if she didn't face him now, she'd never know if it was true or not.

**BRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNG**

'There's the bell. Now to wait for him to come out.' Students began pouring out of the school. The dark-haired girl scanned the crowd for a bright orange color. One time she thought she found Ichigo, but a second glance revealed it was another student. She went back to looking.

There was another splotch of orange. The owner had an angular face and narrow eyes, but what made Rukia start running for him was his expression-a scowl that would normally discourage people from walking up to him. 'He's here…he's alright…'

"Ichigo!"

The student stopped at the sound of his name. He turned to look at her, eyebrows no longer furrowed and giving way to confusion. "Who…"

"It's me! Rukia! Rukia Kuchiki!" The petite girl gestured to herself. "Don't you remember?"

Confused brown eyes met desperate blue orbs before sliding away. "No…I don't."

**/\**

**\/**

"_What? What else is there?"_

_Yuzu was silent for a moment, trying to put words together. "Ichigo's awake…but he's not the same."_

"_Not the same? How?!" Dread was filling up in Rukia's chest. She remembered the hollow that lived deep inside his soul. Could it have taken over him while he was in a coma?_

"_He doesn't remember anything since the day you two met," Yuzu explained. "It's like everything from that point was wiped clean from his memory."_

"_Wiped clean? So he doesn't remember being a shinigami, or fighting in the war?"_

"_I'm sorry Rukia, but no-he doesn't."_

**/\**

**\/**

Rukia turned away from Ichigo, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. "Alright. Never mind then." She started walking away from the teen. When she was a good distance away, the tears came flooding. She started sobbing quietly, making sure no one could see or hear her. This wasn't to attract sympathy-it was simply a sign of loss.

Those three small words echoed mockingly in Rukia's head, yet she continued to keep on walking forward. She was told about what happened, so why did it seem so painful now?

'Because I've lost him.'

'Because he doesn't know who I am.'

'Because I love him.'

**/\**

**\/**

Something wasn't right. The feeling Ichigo had wouldn't go away. Somewhere deep down, he knew that girl-Rukia-but he didn't know how. And for some reason, his heart was racing when he laid his eyes on her.

There was no way it was love at first sight-Ichigo Kurosaki was NOT a romantic. But the way his body reacted upon seeing Rukia, the sharp pain that embedded itself in his heart when she turned away-giving away only a small hint of hurt in her eyes, and the feeling of familiarity weren't signs he could just ignore. Something was going on here.

The orange haired teen's initial plan was to get home, get his homework out of the way, then try to remember why Rukia looked so familiar. But apparently whatever entity that was out there had different plans. Pictures and voices began to leak into his mind-at first he didn't know what they were and tried to block them, but after awhile he realized that if he just let them come they started making sense.

Images of Rukia and him arguing, sometimes heated other times playful. Of them fighting monsters with white masks and holes in their chests. Of her hanging in the air, yelling at him to go home. Of her showing him drawings of bunnies, him making insulting remarks, and earning a swift kick in the head. Of her giving him a juice box to open. Of her telling him her name shortly before stabbing him in the heart. Of her, with tears in her eyes, telling him not to follow her or save her.

The images were all different, but all had one thing in common-both Ichigo and Rukia were in them. And the way they acted towards each other was…he couldn't even think of a word to describe it. But one thing popped into his mind-they knew each other. Much more than that, they were friends.

Something deep inside Ichigo protested at the last part-wanting, hoping for something more. But he couldn't ponder on that right now-he had to find Rukia NOW.

**/\**

**\/**

Despite being a shinigami, Rukia could feel herself blending in with the crowd. Jostling, bumping, ignoring everyone around her as they went about their daily lives. The people around her returned the favor.

"It's better this way," she tried to convince herself. "No one his age should have to keep memories leading to a life they shouldn't have to lead. If he remembers, it would be painful for him." But instead of making her feel better, it made her feel even worse. The pain in her chest turned into a knife, digging in and twisting cruelly. This didn't keep her from trying, though. "There wasn't a chance for me to be with him in the first pla-"

"RUKIA! Wait up!" She stopped where she was, eyes widening at the sound of that voice. She felt a pair of arms slip around her slim body, gently tugging her towards a warm chest. Someone's chin rested on her dark hair.

"Ichi…go?" She tilted her head back to make sure. Warm brown eyes looked back into hers, mouth forming a small smile.

"Hey, midget."

She tugged out of his arms-not taking much effort since he let go of her- and looked at him cautiously. "I thought you didn't remember what happened."

"I still don't." Ichigo admitted. "There are still a few blank spots I can't make sense of. But I remembered a little about you just now."

"So…there's still a chance the rest of your memory can come back?" Rukia asked hopefully.

"Hope so, because I don't like being confused about what's going on!"

Rukia smiled. "Good to have you back, strawberry." She started walking with him back to the clinic.

_Ichigo, there's something I want to tell you, but right now may not be the best time._

The two of them were talking, chatting like they knew each other their whole lives.

_So I'll just make a promise to you and myself for now._

Somewhere in the conversation, a slim hand slipped into a larger one.

_While you're regaining your memories, both the good and the bad, I can't promise I'll be there to hold your hand every step of the way. I know you'd be too stubborn to do so anyway, but also there are points I can't help you with._

The two of them stopped walking for a moment, looking each other in the eye. Ichigo began to bend down, bringing his face closer to Rukia's.

_But there is one thing I can promise-I will follow you so that if you stumble or fall…_

The two of them pressed their lips together.

…_I'll be there to give a hand and help you back up._

**/\**

**\/**

DONE!

Oops…I ruined the moment, didn't I?

Anyways, I didn't want Ichigo to get all of his memories back, 'cause that would be too cheesy. I'm the type of gal who would be satisfied if the story shows signs that things will get better-which this story is implying.

Well, that's all for now.


End file.
